You may not think flying a kite is a sport. But someone might.
So that’s why a big, bright red kite in the shape of a Phoenix will be amongst the hundreds of items spread on tables and piled on the floor as well as in bins at the KidSport bi-annual used sporting equipment sale that is being held March 9 at Riverside secondary school in Port Coquitlam.
Chris Wilson, who’s organized 23 such sales since they first began in 2007, said he’s seen all manner of gear come in through the donation boxes and go out the gym doors, from traditional equipment like hockey skates and soccer balls to cricket bats, hip waders, tap dancing shoes and even a unicycle.
“Just about anything people might consider sporting goods, we’ve got it.”
Wilson said managing the donations and working the floor on sale day has given him an appreciation of the diversity of sports being played in the Tri-Cities as well as a glimpse into sporting trends. Rollerblades were a plentiful item in the early years as people cast off their lodestones from the 1990s, but now they’re a rarer find, he said.
The variety of equipment at the sale also makes it more inviting for people to be adventurous about their sporting choices because the financial commitment can be so low, Wilson said. A person curious about fly fishing might not be so enthused about shelling out $300 for a rod and reel, but if they can be acquired at the sale for $25, they might actually give it a shot.
“It’s awesome so many people are looking to get active and try new things,” Wilson said. “It just makes the sale that much more interesting.”
• This year’s spring sale will be held Sat., March 9, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Riverside secondary school (2215 Reeve St., Port Coquitlam). All proceeds from the sale go to KidSport Tri-Cities, which provides financial assistance for families to get their kids involved in sport in the community. Items to be donated for the sale can be dropped off at bins located at the Port Coquitlam, Port Moody rec centres as well as the Poirier Sports and Leisure Complex beginning Feb. 27 until noon, March 8. For more information, go to www.kidsporttricities.ca.http://www.kidsporttricities.ca.
